Reef temp and kickstarting a cycle

[Reefydude360]

Ok I feel anoying by asking so many questions:grumble:so im gona make it quick I will add pics when my tank is already cycled but right now its empty gona start testing and adding live rock on monday so here r my questions my tank stays at 84 degrees even if I take off the hood so is this temp good for a reef or should I add a fan and cross fingers?also I added a pack of instant ocean gel brine shrimp about a week ago to start the cycle is this enought and yes this is the 20gal in my signature thanks

 

[Prototype220]

That's a bit high. It souldnt be higher than 80, so yes, fans would be a good idea. I had a glass top on my 20g long and the temp shot up to 85! But I took the top off and the temp went back down. Do you have a heater on you tank? I live in Florida and found that I didn't need one, especially since my house is always kept at 77-78 degrees.

 

[Bifferwine]

I would keep the hood off and have a fan blowing across the top of it.

 

[Reefydude360]

Ok so I now tested my water and its ammonia=0.25,ph=8.2,nitrite=0,nitrate=10 is this good? Also I have these bristleworms there all under half an inch and are red all over exept the middle of their bodies r they good or bad?

 

[little_fish]

you are cycling!!! hurray!!!

And bristleworms are good guys! A great member of your CUC

 

[Reefydude360]

Thanks littlefish so now I took off the lid run a fan when it gets hot and im running my new led lighting sytem and now temp is always at 82 that good?

 

[Bifferwine]

As long as it stays constant at 82, that's okay.

 

[cvcdrk]

What's your apartment/house temperature?
It sounds to me like you might not even need a heater. What kind of heater do you have? Does it have a little LED green/red light for on/off? If so...is it ever even on?

Your temp seems pretty high to me.
I'm keeping mine at a constant 76.5 degrees, which is what I did in the past and it worked out really well. Lots of people like to keep it up a little bit more than that but I find it to be a perfect temperature.

 

[Bifferwine]

He is in Puerto Rico -- we have had other members from Puerto Rico whose tanks run warmer than average just because their location does too. :)

 

[Prototype220]

+1 Biff I'm in Florida and I don't have a heater bc my house is ALWAYS 77-78 degrees, so my tank is 80 @ night and 81 by midday. The water temp of the ocean gradually goes up and down with the rise and setting of the sun as well. The gulf temp here is 85, so I'm sure the temp of the reef by the FL Keys is prolly around there too.